A Guilded Cage
by angie9281
Summary: Things have been less than calm for Sookie and Eric and yet again, a threat rears its ugly head, or rather, a beautiful head as a arrangement from the past once more tears the two apart. After everything the two have been through, will this, the most shocking of all, be the one that is too much for even them to overcome?
1. Chapter 1

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 **PART ONE**

 **Chapter 1**

She felt her stomach churn as she reached the door to his office. That the bar had been closed by a clearly tense and agitated Pam was certainly not a good sign and as she let herself into the office, Sookie was surprised nevertheless to see no less than a half dozen vamps with a pretty, buxom ginger haired vamp. One that looked like she was not in any need for money and there was certainly something regal about her, of that there was little doubt. There was also no doubt that the Authority was by far a more human friendly, fair governing party. Even Pam admitted as much and she hated the fact that it existed. But without it, there could be riots, uprisings. And so the Authority, monarchs and sheriffs remained in secret existence from most humans.

"Ah, here she is, the famous Sookie." said the one vamp, the one she recognized as the leader of the Authority. Jameson Floreon was a shade under five hundred years old and had brought unity and peace under his reign and there was nothing that had given Sookie or her family any reason to not trust him, to dislike him. But he looked grave as he gestured for her to sit down. As she did so, she felt Pam enter the room and also noted that Eric, sitting behind his desk was not even making any attention to look at her. He looked highly angry, as if he were about to snap at any moment. This clearly was not going to be good.

"What can I do for you?" Sookie asked ash the looked at the others in the room. "Have we done something…..I mean, I try to be on the straight and narrow and the worst thing I have done is get a parking ticket and….." she stammered, nerves getting the best of her.

Jameson offered her a friendly smile, though there was sadness in his eyes. "I have come with some news that I think you will not be pleased with….." he sighed as he leaned against the desk. "I bring here Greta, the monarch from Alaska. A recent discovery has shown that there had been a arranged marriage between her and….." he didn't need to finish the sentence. "His maker wanted to ensure that he would be happy, safe in his life even when they had been separated for some time. Apparently Godric was never able to bring himself to reveal the truth but there had been an agreement to give him to Greta here. And in the eyes of the Authority, these two are, for all intents and purposes, married. He is to be her…consort."

Her stomach fell nauseous, the room seemed to spin around her. "How can this possibly be? You Can't force him into this….."

"They can….they threatened your life. And the rest of our families, from Pam to your brother Jason. Jameson, after all happens to be the maker of Greta and he is like a father to her." a gravelly voice spoke up, a voice that was laced with hurt and anger. "I had to sign myself over to ensure your safety and that of everyone else. The Authority is quite backward, stuck in the past at forcing these arranged marriages to be maintained.. Almost archaic, really." a bitter Eric said, still avoiding Sookie's face, which he would have found heartbreaking.

"He is to return to my home with me and help me run the kingdom of Alaska." Greta interjected, her green blue eyes meeting the pained brown ones of Sookie. "I get no pleasure of causing you pain as you have not wronged me. But we must follow tradition-"

"This tradition is bullcrap." Pam interrupted. "Queen or not, you can not force him to leave his life, the life he has wanted…you just….you can not."

"You are getting a good deal from this, your safety, protection…and there will be a monetary compensation coming your way as well." Jameson said, who seemed slightly touched and saddened by the reactions of the family being torn apart. "Traditions must be kept and respected however."

"You are turning him into little more than a slave…..you think any amount of money can make this better?" Pam snapped as the other vamps tensed, bracing for some kind of violent reaction from Pam or Sookie. But they needn't worry, the two women sat where they did.

"We will give you a few moments to….make your goodbyes." Jameson said as Greta tried to suppress the glee she was feeling at landing such a prize. Try as she might to portray herself as a sweet and gentle woman, she was not fooling neither Sookie nor Pam and cast them a smirk as she and her entourage left the room to give the three of them a few moments alone. The door was quickly locked behind the party, ;leaving the three to deal with yet another crisis, arguably the worse they had ever faced.

 **Chapter 2**

"I can not go against them, as much as I want to. They have eyes and ears everywhere and they have to take orders from him or face the true death. And no one would be so foolish as to go against Jameson. I have to go with her to Alaska…I surely want nothing more than to rip all their collective heads off but that would only lead to you being harmed. And if this is what it takes to ensure your safety, it is a price I am willing to pay." he said grimly, Sookie not being able to look at him still. Everything was falling apart.

"After everything we have gone through….after thinking things were looking up and that we could have a life…..she's taking you from me…us…." Sookie said as Pam found herself brimming with a anger unlike any she had ever felt before.

"They can not get away with this, this can't happen…..we can get you out of this, we can find a way, I know it."

"Perhaps you will and I hope you would….but for the time being I have to go, to protect all of you. Eric replied grimly,

There was a silence that was as long as it was painful. They had no other choice but to let him go. "This is not going to be for long." Sookie said, convictions replacing the sorrow in her voice, though the tears on her face was enough to let him know just how broken up she was about it and in fact, a equally sorrowful, rare teary display emitted from him as well. A rare thing to be sure but it was thanks to Sookie he had regained the ability to feel, to show emotions. Make no mistake, he was and would always be, able to inflict devastation and bloodbaths.

"I hate that redhead…I bet she isn't even a natural redhead anyway. Bad dye job I suspect….hopefully you won't have to get a closer inspection, you know…" Pam's attempt at a joke went unheeded as the couple about to be parted against their will embraced for a brief moment before the others rudely reentered the office. The guards flanked Eric, pulling him from Sookie and it was then Greta revealed her true colors, coming off more like the late Nan Flanagan. Caustic, arrogant and unfeeling, she reached to his left hand and plucked off the wedding band he had gotten from Sookie. With a clenching of her fist, she had reduced the metal into a formless blob and held it out to Sookie.

"A parting gift, a souvenir, really." Greta said with a smirk. "But really, this is for the best, isn't it? I mean, he should be with a pure vampire not a freak of nature like you. You do want the best for him, so here it is. But I give my word that your family will be protected and paid well. We had best be off, a long flight ahead of us. Perhaps we can make it home for gazing at the Northern Lights, just like you probably saw when you were in your younger days." she was trying to appeal to his past, the culture he was born from. But he stared blankly at her before speaking.

"I may be going with you…but make no mistake that not matter what…I feel nothing for you and will never do so. You can play these games but I will not be treated as your personal plaything. And should I find out you go back on your word and harm those that I do care about, I would be all too glad to end you even if it means a death sentence for myself."

Greta looked up into his eyes and though she saw nothing but icy hate, she nevertheless forced herself on him, to prove her hold over him, knowing he dared not do anything, what with the threat hanging heavily in the air. And it was then she nodded for her guards, who, with gloved hands, silvered Eric and led him away, swiftly, though they heard the familiar scream from Ginger as they retreated through the club. Of course, they would have to explain what was happening later. But for now, the two women stood motionless, sharing that most unwelcome feeling of hopelessness that they both despised.

 **TO BE CONTINUED**


	2. Chapter 2

**PART TWO**

 **Chapter 3**

Their hearing allowed them to hear the squealing of the tires as the convoy left the bar, speeding away with the most important person in their lives. Ginger barreled into the office as Pam and Sookie were leaving and the rattled barmaid was given the short version of that which had gone on in the office over the past minutes.

"So…y'all going after them or what?" Ginger asked as she tried processing the news. Neither of her friends seemed eager to discuss the topic any more and it was only because Ginger was already overlabored that Pam had chosen not to try to make her forget what she saw and heard.

"We always come up with a solution…..for the time being, you go about your business and you try anything to get involved, I am gonna have to put you on house arrest. don't need your idiocy messing our plans up…when we come up with them anyway.,"

"Well, you know I am willing to help if you want it." Ginger said, looking troubled and pained as she went about finishing her tasks for the evening, worry on her face and the two were appreciative of her offer, even if they were not going to accept it. "Look, we will get this mess dealt with….you tell Willa when she comes in I want the two of you holding down the fort while Sookie and I deal with this. And so help me, if we come back and this place is not as I left it…." Pam made the threat, albeit a empty one. The one thing that Ginger could do was run the place fairly well, she had been working especially hard over the past months to better herself and Pam had been surprised by the effort, though she figured that if everyone else in her life had adapted and changed somewhat, that even Ginger could as well. The two left the bar and headed around to the back where they had parked, though neither of them really had any real need for a car.

"Well this is a nice new crap sandwich….Pam said as she approached her flashy black BMW, leaning against it, she looked up at the night sky, trying to stop herself from letting the tears flow. "I can not freaking believe this….crisis after crisis and that he went so willingly….."

"He knows the danger we would have been in if he had refused. Our lives would mean a small revenge to them if they didn't get him. And they know we will try coming after them, which makes me all the more worried as to if we would even get to him before they….." Sookie trailed off, her heart broken as images of the last time she saw him flashed in her mind. He seemed determined and yet she knew the anger and resentment he felt at being put into such a position. "'I wonder if we can go to any other higher ups in the Authority, something smells funny about all of this…"

"If they are following these archaic laws then I think we are screwed. There is one more thing I was supposed to show you and I hate that I have to do so…but when you see it, you will realize that we are very much alone in this" Pam pulled something out of her purse and sighed. "He Didn't want to be in the room when you saw this, he knew you were hurting enough…but I am sure that is not a comfort." she waited for Sookie to open the envelope and inside was a aged looking piece of paper with handwritten script on most of the page, two signatures at the bottom. A contract and there were yet more signatures on the contract. "Those are the 10 governors of the Authority, who I have met and actually thought them more forward thinking and they really seemed….pleasant enough. They have the power to change and make laws and this seems…out of character for them. But then again, so long as Jameson is in charge…..he runs the show and can force whatever he wants into being enforced. Including arranged marriages."

"We need to go to the main chapter then, speak to the governors, see if there is anything the can do to help us. Their hands seem tied and perhaps, Jameson is blackmailing them. Seems like that would be something in his wheelhouse." Sookie thought out loud. "Where is the main chapter, anyway, I mean, I thought it was in that one building but it got destroyed some time back and so…."

"New Orleans. Vampire capital of the world. And I happen to know where it is, the trouble is, getting a meeting with them….at least we know Jameson is off to the west coast…" Pam said bitterly. "Fancy a trip to the Big Easy?"

"The sooner the better." Sookie replied and she followed Pam's gesture to get into her car instead and soon the two blondes were off, on yet another mission that could be another matter of life and death. Anything was possible with those they were facing off against, after all.

 **Chapter 4**

He had said not even a single word as they drove to the airport and boarded the sleek, elegant private plane. Try as she might to start a pleasant conversation with him, Greta was failing miserably at getting him out of his grim mood and she genuinely seemed surprised by this. They were seated in a private chamber, her father and the guards out in the main chamber of the plane. She was playing with her wavy red hair streaked with blonde lazily as she leaned back in her reclining seat. "I really do not see why you are so mopey….wait until you see your new home, never again will you have to work, to be on display for lesser beings to gape and gawk at…"

"No. But now I will be on display for you." Eric replied, trying to keep his temper in check, wanting nothing more than to kill her right here and there. Her perky smile was certainly not making this easy. "You took me from the life I wanted. Under threat of killing my loved ones. And you truly think, believe that things can work out? I want nothing to do with you and rest assured, I will only be playing the part, for my loved ones. Not. You." he leaned back in his own chair and swiveled it so his back was to her face. But she was not finished., not yet. She wooshed over and around and forced him to look at her.

"You do anything to upset me, all it takes is for me to go to daddy and with a simple call, it will be within minutes that there's trouble for those you left behind. It is a easy situation, honestly. Obey and everyone remains intact. Miserable, most likely, but intact. And alive. If not for daddy being so old and persuasive, we never could have make the Authority go through with this and I am sure all the governors would love nothing more than to have him gone….along with me. But he struck fear in them and he has proven his muscle enough to make them heel. Ironically, the only one that they felt could help them be rid of this problem is…..you." Greta smirked at him as she sipped from a crystal goblet full of what was, in her words, only the best blood money could buy. "None of that fake stuff, no offense, but I know even you prefer the real deal…..I wonder what your ex tastes like, no doubt muddied by being a freak of nature." she watched him closely for a reaction and knew he was doing all he could to restrain himself. Finally, he spoke.

"If all you want to do is bait me, hoping to elicit a reaction to give you cause to make that call….I would have nothing left to live for and would gladly end you even if it meant forfeiting my own life. I am willing to…..play nice….should you be willing to stop trying to poke the proverbial bear." he replied, his hands clenching hard on the arm rests of the chairs, trying to restrain himself. It was not easy, for the sake of his kin, he had to behave…until he could get some idea of how to escape this latest mess.

Pursing her lips, she thought this over. "Perhaps it wouldn't behoove me to trouble you, after all you've never slighted me and this is a situation we were both put into, though I am sorry that it took this long for you to be told the truth. I can help you adjust to this new life, I know you like the high life and you will want for nothing, I promise you." she rose and went to leave him with his thoughts. She took a last look at him before leaving him entirely. "When you see what I bring to the table, you will never give her a thought again. Ever." and with a gentle click of the door in her wake, she left him to his thoughts, none of which were pleasant. Not one for being fearful, he was, nevertheless fearing what this woman could, would do to him, seeing as he had to be obedient lest he lose everything. There was being between a rock and a hard place and then there was this situation, something unlike he could ever have imagined

 **TO BE CONTINUED**


	3. Chapter 3

**PART THREE**

 **Chapter 5**

Unfortunately, their trip to the Big Easy was delayed a few days thanks to some minor emergencies at home. Jason needed a babysitter for his kids and had no one else while Pam had to put out some minor fires out at the bar. To say nothing of Sookie having to also tell Arlene she needed some time away from work and bless her heart, Arlene knew better than to inquire why. Pam, however, wanted not to let anyone get wind of the troubles they faced and had glamoured Arlene, making her think Sookie was on a much needed vacation instead. Finally, they managed to get to where they needed to go and it was surprisingly easy for them to get an audience. Especially upon their learning of the coercion tactics, the blackmail that had gone into getting the governors to sign the contract, to force actions to be set into motion.

"He is older than all of us combined and his daughter…she is as well. And they are skilled warriors. Fast and furious with their weapons, none of us have seen anyone fight like they have….save for your Eric. And he is the one that can end this all but we are all in precarious positions. Those two, they have others working with them here on the inside. Moles who are too willing to help them make their goals happen. We have to play nice." the second in command of the Authority, a ginger haired male vamp said with a annoyed sigh. "They know our every move and could be watching us here in the building, though I can safely say at least here in this room, we all have taken turns sweeping for spy equipment and have kept all others out."

A female governor with long blonde hair and looking as if she were in her early twenties but was at least three times that age nodded. "We are not happy that things are the way they are. I fear that if he had his way, Jameson would bring back many if not all of the old ways of the Authority and we have spent the past few tears repairing the damage that was done to our image and our relationship with the humans we want only to work with and coexist with. Peacefully. It would ignite another war if he were to win this match."

Having no patience with any of these people, Pam was pacing back and forth. "We need to kill those two, that much is for certain…..but I had thought the Authority had been given a good overhaul….so what if these minions of Jameson and Greta….what if they are being controlled by…magic." Pam spat out the word.

"No doubt it is a possibility." Sookie said as she took her turn addressing the group in the room. "I have seen magic being used to control other vamps and it is some dangerous, powerful stuff. And something about Greta…..I sensed that she was wielding something, that she possesses something. And it was the same feeling I got when we went up against a witch some years back."

"So you are certain she has bewitched some of our own….troubling, that is. What would stop her from returning her and putting us under her control too, thus eliminating much needed allies from your assistance." added a third member of the ten governors. "We are, of course, well aware of your….specialness….something that I know you and your family have tried to keep secret as best as possible. But rest assured we will try to assist you as well as we can. But we wonder, if perhaps there is something you can do for us?"

"Figures, we come here looking for help and instead we are asked for it." Pam muttered.

"We want to be able to help you but know of your powers, Sookie." the leader of the governors said. "What, if anything can you do to help protect us from being turned against you by those two?"

Pam looked annoyed, almost like they were wasting their time here but Sookie pulled her aside. "We may need backup in this when we go after him…wouldn't you prefer we not instead get them spelled and turned against us and thus making it harder for us to defeat those two wackos?"

"I get it…I do…it's just….well, I am so sick of this bullcrap. All I want to do is get to wherever he is and bring him home. After I tear that red headed tramp a new one." Pam replied, the anger and concern clear in her voice. "Is there anything you can do to keep them safe, just in case? I guess it makes sense the last thing we need is more obstacles in our way…."

"My powers, they certainly have gotten stronger and more…I don't know. Inclusive over the years but I can try…" Sookie turned to the people standing here in the room. "I can try to shield this room…have you supplies and other things you may need, because once I cast the magic, you can only be guaranteed being safe while in this building…..but maybe….maybe I had get some feelers out, see if I can detect any-" she had gone wide-eyed with a realization as one of the governors launched themselves towards her, a manic look in her eyes as she went for the kill. Eager to kill something, Pam interceded and was forced to kill the governor, knowing it was either her or Sookie and there was no way she was going to let something happen to her. She would have a lot of explaining to do, should that happen.

"It's unfortunate but there was no time…she was a danger to everyone." Sookie said as she got to her feet after stumbling on a chair. She closed her eyes and there was a humming vibration through the room, through the building. "Everyone else here in the building is clean, no traces of any evil but I would strongly say to bring the building into lockdown and I will use what magic I can to secure it from being entered by anyone, especially Jameson and Greta." Ten minutes later, the remaining governors had gathered anything from elsewhere in the building they needed, the protection magic quickly being fired up around them and the building. "Staying here in the most secure part of the building would be best. We will send word if we need you but I always prefer to try to keep more people out of our messes….things have gone wrong in the past when people tried helping me. I have lost a lot of people on account of me and even though we don't know each other well at all, I wouldn't want any of you harmed."

The remaining nine of the governors seemed impressed by the poise that was being shown. They had, of course, come to know about her and had even taken action to assist in keeping her and her family safe, being as prominent as they were. But to have her here before them wanting to help people she didn't know and had faith in….they too, knew they needed to show their value, their dedication to finishing up eliminating the bad taste of the former Authority. "We are grateful for your help and-"

"Let's leave it at this-if I find out that any of you are somehow managing to help Jameson and Greta and mean harm to us, then we will be coming back full force and will make quite a mess in this rather nice building. And anyone else who comes our way? We will go down swinging if it comes to that but rest assured, one way or another I will see to our family being avenged." Sookie said, looking at the gathered vampires before her and Pam. "Now. Information. Where is the Alaskan branch of the Authority?"

Another member of the Authority piped up, looking chagrined. "Its in a isolated, harsh region of the state, where one would be foolish to travel to…." she winced as Pam's fangs popped out and knew the damage she and the hybrid could do if they didn't get what they came for. "A area just north of Barrow, which so happens to be the one of the coldest and most isolated places to live in the country. The Authority building there is hidden underground and yet is easily found, amongst the ice that is like glass that is almost always present. The are is just on the shoreline, you see."

"Here…take the coordinates….and a GPS." offered the first governor that had addressed them. Pam accepted the slip of paper handed to them but rejected the device. Sookie, however, at least thanked the group for their help, using a last bit of magic to give a little extra boost to the shield of magic meant to protect those within the building and this room, especially.

"Thank you for your help and with it, I hope to end the both of them and get rid of their hold over you. Blackmail is sooooo unoriginal, isn't it? Once they are gone, I assure you, you won't have to worry about whatever they are holding over you to keep you from being more helpful. Though, I can safely say, you have been."

All of them looked slightly less on edge, slightly more relieved. "They…they threaten all of our families, they know where they are and with all their minions-"

"Controlled by magic, once the one that cast it, they will be set to rights. But the sooner she and I get to where we gotta be, the sooner we can end this."

"You do realize that they will likely be waiting for you." one of the governors said, voice laden with concern.

"I wouldn't expect anything else. We will be back to check in on you. You've got our numbers and we have yours." Sookie was speaking as Pam made quick work of getting the phone numbers exchanged between her phone and the one of the Authority, one she was given by one of the frazzled governors. "We will not fail in this, they think they have the upper hand but they surely are underestimating two pissed off blondes. Both of which pack some serious firepower." and as she made her hands light with a bright and dangerous looking glow before she whisked herself and her companion from the building, off to parts unknown and quite unfriendly

 **Chapter 6**

It was fortunate that it was almost always dark up here in the wastelands of northern Alaska. Cold though it was, neither of them were really bothered by the extreme weather and at least it was cold and nod snowy, as this area was notorious for squally weather. Sure enough, ice as clear as glass rise up before them on the shores, sparkling under the moonlight, casting shadows and light at the same time over the tundra. Knowing better than to just flash them straight into the lion's den, Sookie instead used her magic to bring them to the outside of the stronghold, the door well hidden within a block of ice that was able to conceal the entry fairly well. Plus, as they discovered, it was not real ice, though it was as polished, as cold and as unforgiving as the real thing could be against those who worked with ice for a living. But it was some kind of plexiglass and like butter, Sookie managed to find the hidden keypad under what seemed to be a crust of frost but really was a lid concealing the secret underneath. Frying it with her light, the watched as the fake ice rose and allowed them to pass closer to the door. Still requiring a code to enter, coupled with a prick of blood, Sookie looked at Pam, knowing that they would need to use magic to bypass this, knowing full well that they were taking a chance of immediate capture or torture.

"I don't know what else to do, I don't know who or what could be in this place and-"

"Waiting here worrying isn't gonna help us none." Pam interjected. "I am more than ready for a good fight and besides, waiting here is only wasting valuable time. I think we have gone through far worse than some obsessed, badly dressed tramp and her daddy."

Managing a laugh, Sookie nodded and in a flash of light, they were brought straight to the other side of the door, knowing full well they were underground. How far, exactly, she did not know. What she did know, immediately, that there had been much blood spilled and judging by the scent in the air, there was much that they didn't see. And most worrisome, they knew they may not want to see.

 **TO BE CONTINUED**


	4. Chapter 4

**PART FOUR**

 **Chapter 7**

The piles of goo they saw scattered were clearly what remained of vampires but yet, they didn't know the how or why of their demises. Unless, of course, they were expendable in the eyes of their masters. They cared not for who the remains belonged to, all they knew was they had to find the one they had come all this way for. And then they saw him, looking cool and collected, emerging from a closed room where they saw so briefly several other well dressed men and women. Some kind of meeting room, no doubt. Unfortunately it was not the "him" they sought. At least, not the one they wanted to save.

"I knew it would not be long before you caught up with us and found us. No doubt you find yourself some allies, some help. No matter. I am not worried about them any more than I am worried about the two of you." Jameson snapped his fingers and the whole of the rooms around them, everything, went pitch black and even with their excellent sight in the dark, in those few moments it took for their eyes to adjust, those moments were all that were needed for them to find themselves hopelessly outgunned by those who had come from the room. Not that the two women didn't take out several of them, regretfully, but it was either their lives of those of the bewitched vamps and it was not something they wanted to do. Fight as they did, it came down to the last two of the 8 that had come out into the darkness to ambush them. They had, of course taken these two out but it had come at a price as Jameson was clearly well prepared, clearly knowing full well what he was up against. Silver was a given and it was in a swift manner in which he had fired off a shot from a concealed object on his wrist. As she went down, trying to fight what turned out to be a dart of some kind filled with only the purest and strongest of silver, another figure came into the picture and swept the now prisoner away, leaving only Sookie there, wounded and her magic all but useless. She felt the wounds healing, but far slower than usual and it was then she felt the jab in her hip, another dart, this one appearing to be larger and she knew, filled with the one thing that would hinder her, being iron. That was one of the few drawbacks to her current incarnation, of being a hybrid that leaned favorably toward her faerie side-she was more vulnerable to a faerie's greatest weakness, iron. And she felt it coursing through her veins as she head footsteps coming toward her and it was a joyful looking Jameson who dragged her to a cell across the way from Pam, down deep into the bowels of the Authority building.

"Fortified especially for you, you should be honored. One of a kind design. And Don't worry, you will be given daily doses to keep those powers of yours at bay. I don't care what vamp powers you have, I am older than you by centuries and even with the bloodline you come from….well, I really see no threat. And Greta finds you…..comical, to be honest. Comical in the fact that you were able to attract him to you even when you were purely a fraction of a faerie." he was taking the time to gloat. "But I am not cruel, as you see, you've got some comforts of home here. A nice bed. A bathroom." soon, she felt herself being thrown out of the iron netting he had scooped her into and she was in a 20 by 20 room. Of course, there was no fancy bathroom but he hadn't lied totally. There was a reasonable looking if not plain bed and a small bathroom with a shower. As far as amenities went, that was it…..save for something she stumbled over to in her almost drugged like state, weak from the iron in her blood. There on the nightstand was a bunch of daisies, one of her favorite flowers. And they were tinged with red. Red that came from the contents of the clear vase, which was not water, but blood.

 **Chapter 8**

He left her in the cell, the cold laughter emanating even through the thick walls and she was heartsick at scenting the blood she knew so well. Blood that had helped make her what she was today. Fearing for Pam, she had a hunch she was safe….for the time being and that they were being primed for some kind of sock and twisted joke. The trouble was, they had no idea how long there had been plans for them to remain and so the time dragged on and on. And so she was surprised, one day after a drugging, that she was told she and Pam had been held here for just over a month.

Greta entered her cell and had relayed this to her, looking smug and glowing. "It is the time for the official ceremony, we had to wait until he was…better compliant before we acted but I thought I could use a maid of honor."

"Where's Pam?" Sookie asked with clenched teeth, wanting badly to tear out the throat of this vixen vampire. There had been times long ago she had violent thoughts but it was since she had become a hybrid, with the new threats to her kin, that she had truly felt what bloodlust was like. And disturbingly, she almost liked it, relished it. Still, she was not going to lose her cool….not yet. Not so long as she had this toxin coursing through her body.

"She is fine, safe and sound in her cell. Good thing this place is so remote and unknown, otherwise I daresay there would have been a cavalry coming after you. So many people are probably worried sick about you…..but you also should have been smart and let him go. To be where he belongs. You did, after all, reject him not too terribly long ago. You do, of course remember that, don't you? You broke his heart, his spirit and so nearly sent him to his demise…..and yet you remained safe and happy with that werewolf you claimed to love and then what, you got him killed all in the name of helping you out. You are nothing more than an angel of death and destruction and at least with me, he is safe and will not want for anything. Or anyone, save for me. These past weeks, though, he has proven he is strong willed. hasn't eaten a thing and even being as old as he is, he can't go on like this forever." she had a idea cross her mind though she dared not to reveal it to her prisoner….not until the time was right. For now, she would merely bait the incapacitated girl. "Too bad you are going to miss it, us becoming official. Taking place in a hour, you know."

It took the blonde a moment to get her mind wrapped around what she had heard, what she had feared. "Official…..you haven't actually…."

"Oh, I am not sure what you've heard but we wanted to wait for you. I wanted you to see your face as he became mine….oh, your face is so sad! Did you really think I didn't think you would find your way here? That I would spare you further pain? You could have remained home and instead, you are going to bear witness to a new future. In which he and I take over not just the rest of the Authority, but usher in a new age for our kind. One that should have been brought in the moment we came out of the coffin. Humans are nothing but snacks and it is time we are respected and revered. Feared. What you have done to him is an abomination, making him into some softhearted lap dog-"

"There has always been decency in him, honor. Love. Even from before he was turned. You think you know our story, his story. You have no clue the character of him. None. You want only power and prestige and want him as nothing more than a trophy. You are just greedy."

"I deserve the best of everything." Greta shrugged. "And he happens to be the best of the best of our kind and so I get what I want. Even someone like you should be able to understand that much….."

"Magic…you've got some kind of magic being used here…or you have someone working for you who does." Sookie blurted out. "I can sense it so you can't fool me a bit."

"Well I did have a witch use magic to cast a mind control spell on some of the authority people who started questioning us…..but other than that, between dad and myself, it is merely our wit and minds that have allowed us to get to where we are. Besides, I want to keep him away from magic. Caused him nothing but trouble."

"And yet it is also magic that has given you a second life and keeps all you vamps alive." Sookie pointed out sarcastically.

The woman said nothing but went to leave the cell. "Days since you last saw him and I think I will let you see him once more. In a hour." and with a sadistic smirk, the woman left the room, leaving the faerie-vamp to ponder just how else she could be tortured. And then it fell into place, even in her current hazy mind.

 **Chapter 9**

Bound and helpless in a plush leather chair in what was a meeting room dressed fancifully in what was clearly wedding décor, Sookie was barely able to move her fingers, let alone summon some magic to break the bindings that stifled her magic. She saw Pam had also been put in a seat, though it was across the room and her bindings were pure silver, her flesh burning on her bound ankles and wrists. Her breath was taken away as the door to the frilly, white flower covered room was opened and in contrast to the beauty and elegance of the decorations, a forlorn looking Viking entered the room, dressed in what appeared to be the clothes he had been taken from the bar in. black tank top and tight black jeans, though he had no shoes or socks on. And he looked drawn, as if he had not only not eaten but not slept and Sookie shared a troubled look with Pam. He barely looked around the room and when he saw two of the most important women in his life there, chained, he almost seemed resigned looking.

"I Haven't seen him like this since he was sick with hep v…he looks horrible." Pam said, incensed, her rage showing even though her weakened state.

Unable to say anything, a lump in her throat preventing her from doing so, all Sookie could do was watched as Jameson himself performed the ceremony and like a million knives stabbing her in the heart, she suffered as the two were bound. And it was then her sensed became less dulled for a moment as she sensed some kind of magic in the air. It was a shield, keeping her and Pam from being visible to him. He had no idea they were there, the bond she and him had closed off entirely. No doubt Greta had lied about not having any magic. The question was, just where did she pick it up from. As her sensed dulled again as her willpower was waning against whatever Greta had done, Sookie got a big clue as instinct allowed her to see the ancient object on the wrist of Greta, an object that she had thought was barely some piece of jewelry. But this was something more than that. What it was, what it was doing, was nothing less than a mystery to her.

 **TO BE CONTINUED**


	5. Chapter 5

**PART FIVE**

 **Chapter 10**

Jameson had delivered the two to their separate cells and as expected, relishing the moment of triumph. "I promised her she would have him and even though it took several centuries too long, I delivered. And by now, I believe you have guessed that there has, of course been some magical help in all of these plans. And you are right. But it is neither wiccan magic, nor some medieval magic. There was rumors, back in Europe, that there existed a Norse made bracelet what could allow one to channel the magic of a god. At least somewhat. A object that allows your desires to be made manifest. Greta would wish you out of existence if she so wanted but I told her it would be best not to waste the remaining magic, it is finite, its supply of magic, unfortunately. But it has allowed us to become at the precipice of having it all. It helped clear our path to reaching the head of the Authority and is what will allow us to complete my quest."

"Your quest? I thought this was all both of your-"

"I wanted the best for her like any father would and decided to make it happen and on the way over the years I knew I wanted something for myself. Power. And so I would need to use her to get it. Over and over I put it into her head that he was rightly hers, that she had been wronged. She did feel she was, when he refused to wed her. So I took that pain, that rejection, everything that she felt and put that object on her. The bracelet is nearly depleted from the magic it was given by a friend of mine who was able to channel only the darkest of magic and put some of it into the bracelet. It allowed for wishes to be granted. And only wishes that were rooted in vengeance and hate. So when I was turned and then turned her….well, everything started into motion and with the magic I was able to fashion us new, prominent lives. Making her a queen and me being this sort of…man behind the scenes, I suppose you could say."

"You used it to twist her into what she is now…" Sookie said, disgusted.

"No, she was always the spoiled, entitled one even when she was human. And it was me and me alone what made her who she is today and I couldn't be prouder of her. She has what she wanted and as for you….well neither of us has any need for you other than to die. Thanks to an assist with the magic coupled with his stubbornness to refuse to eat, I wouldn't want to be stuck in a room alone with him. What with his mind being a touch….off….think of yourself as being a gift to him again. Just not in the way you would expect. And then your friend who came with you will be the dessert. And then…with the last of the magic, we will be ensured to never have any resistance against us from anyone again." he grinned and dragged her from the cell by her hair and in the muted lit hall, she felt him stop at a door and entered it, throwing her across the polished floor. A quick glimpse allowed her to see it as a plush, almost opulent looking apartment, with three levels to it that she could see and she felt like she was in a palace. And she also knew she was not alone in here and heard the lock of the door from behind her.

 **Chapter 11**

The only thing she knew for certain was that the bracelet in the possession of Greta, well, that clearly needed to be destroyed. Well, that and she was certainly getting tired of the psychos getting their hands on magic. Magic seemed to always cause nothing but trouble and pain for her and her own and oddly enough, it was that which had helped bring them together as a family. Having come to terms that it was always one thing or another with her and her unorthodox family, she was still fuming, hating the fact she was as helpless as she was. And she wished that somehow, her daughter could come swooping in….anytime now would certainly be good. Then again, Aurora was busy enough in Faery and had plenty on her plate. She couldn't be relied on to always be around. That was a plain and simple fact. And it was then the lighting in the room and all the rooms around her dimmed and she heard, with her enhanced hearing and saw with her enhanced sight, something in the shadows. Having been forced to endure the bond closed between them, she nevertheless knew who had to be here, what with after Jameson had said. He wanted her killed by the last person she had ever thought would ever harm her.

She was on her side, still bound by the iron that held her and felt the long lasting effects of the metal that had been injected into her unique blood. But she was alert enough to see the shadow standing up on the balcony of the upper level of the cavernous suite and almost like she was being stalked, she watched the figure slowly make its way closer and closer to her, the glint of something metallic on its left hand confirming her worst fears, paining her all over again. As if she couldn't feel more down, more helpless and despondent. The dim lighting was more than enough for her to see through and yet she hated seeing what she was. It was rare, as of late, to see him as predatory, as animalistic as he looked, and it frightened her. And yet, she saw something in his eyes, glazed and lifeless as they were as he came within a few feet of her. He was not well, that much was for certain, as she knew he hadn't had anything to eat since the moment he was taken with Greta and her father.

There was a hunger in those lifeless, despondent eyes and part of him seemed to be trying to back away, cringing from what she suspected he wanted, needed to do. Finally, she spoke, softly, gently, tears being held back only from her sheer fear and weakening by the iron in and around her. They had hoped to use her as nothing more than dinner for him. But she had to hope, pray that not only was he not magicked by whatever power the bracelet Greta had, but that she could at least break free of these chains. "Eric…..please…..can you help me get out of this? I came for you…Pam and I….we came for you. They hid us from you and I saw….we saw…you and her…." she couldn't bring herself to say it but nodded towards his new wedding band and she saw he couldn't bring himself to look at her.

He said nothing but she was alarmed to see him look at her, finally, though quite hungrily, a almost manic look in his eyes. Whether he even knew who she was, that was something she was starting to doubt, knowing the power Greta's bracelet possessed. If only she could get her hands on that bracelet, she could use the past of the magic to destroy those two, to set things back to rights. As it was, Sookie feared she wouldn't make it out of this room alive, let alone in one piece, judging by the way he was looking at her. Finally, through the cloud of magic, he seemed to be able to surface-the real version of him.

"What are you doing here?" he asked softly, still looking weak and famished, his clothes looking somewhat looser on him, which disturbed her greatly.

"Pam and I came for you….Greta….she used that bracelet of hers to cloak us, so we could see you two…..and you had no idea we were witnessing it." Sookie said, nodding to the band on his left ring fingers, a band that had replaced the one she had given him, destroyed by the vengeful Greta.

"You were…in the room when we…" he seemed horrified, embarrassed that she had been given a seat to something he never wanted her to see, to see him becoming more than a plaything, a trophy, for someone as calculating and cold as Greta was. "I…..that you were there in the room…."

"Not like I could do anything about it…not like this." she replied, nodding to her bindings. "Plus they've loaded my body full of iron, not good for faeries, you know."

He bit his lip, making it bleed, he was so incensed. "I have got to get you out…you and Pam. I don't care what happens to me, so long as you two are safe."

"I am not leaving this place without you. I would rather stay like this and be a snack for you. Better I die by your fangs than theirs, I have to say."

Her words pained him further and he seemed to be struggling to control himself once more, that hunger was back in his eyes. "I feel funny, not just because I haven't eaten in weeks, but I do think she is trying to use her magic on me to egg me on….to finish you off….which gives me an idea….." he leaned down and started whispering in her ear, a look of fear crossing her face before she nodded.

 **Chapter 12**

Greta returned to the suite and saw the blood trail, the splatter all over the floor and walls, shattered chains everywhere. Torn scraps of the clothes she knew had been the girl's were all over and standing with his back to her covered in blood himself, stood her new pet, as it were. "Well…I wanted to make sure you had the time to get done what had to…if you are still hungry, we can go and take care of that bitchy progeny of yours next." Greta said as she fingered the bracelet on her hand gently, casting its magic with her whims, its power able to grant her what she wanted and what she wanted was him in her power. Fully. And she grinned as she saw him shudder, the magic having reached him. And it was then something struck her in the back of the head and toppling on her face, Greta struggled against the silver put around her, feeling the bracelet being torn from her.

"I don't want to have to kill you, but this magic and your father? They helped make you like this and I can't have any more people like you trying to destroy me and my own." Sookie said as she struggled against the strong vampire under her and she managed to take the bracelet and with her light, destroyed it into smoldering dust. But there was still. Something else was happening now as well and the two stopped their scuffle for a moment as the oldest being in the room, turned to face them, shirtless and bloodied, having been given a much needed meal by Sookie and it was thanks to them healing one another with their blood that they were seeing what they were seeing at the moment. Before their eyes, they watched what the power of the hybrid's blood could really do, what their connection was capable of. The gauntness, the slightly skeletal way the Viking had come to look in the weeks since he had been brought here was gone, and before her eyes, very relieved eyes, Sookie was relieved as she watched the muscle return-and then some, he was slightly and yet noticeably bulkier than had had been before this mess had begin and he had his eyes closed as he took in the change. And then the light around him subsides, the wounds sustained wound fully healed and it was then Jameson entered the room, sensing trouble. With a swift move, Sookie had summoned her ball of light and sent it upward into the distracted face of Greta, obliterating her immediately One down, one to go, she thought to herself as she shot to her feet, she herself fully healed from her iron poisoning and cuts and scrapes she had endured.

"What…how is this…." Jameson had been too slow to stop the killing of his daughter, not having expected the faerie free nor the fact that she had peacefully reunited with the one he had strived to strip from her forever. For her part, Sookie wanted nothing more than to take this creep out but knew that it was someone else who truly deserved to do the deed. After all, she thought to herself with satisfaction, she had been the one to take Greta out, the one she hated the most in all of this mess. Jameson was unable to say anything further, as his throat was currently being clenched upon by a rather large hand, his body being lifted up with ease. Struggling against his captor, the nattily dressed Jameson was able to finally take in the mess on the floor, scraps of clothes familiar to him revealing the hard truth. "You….you killed my daughter!" he managed to hiss through his constricted vocal chords, glaring accusingly into the angry, almost primal glare of Eric, who was clearly in no mood for any more of the meaningless drivel that came out of his mouth.

"It would seem I was right to reject her then as I tried to do in modern times….you managed to twist her even more into someone unbalanced and I am not sorry to be standing mere feet away from what is left of her. But rest assured, you are about to be reunited with her. And then, things can be set back to the way they are supposed to be."

Even in his precarious position, Jameson managed to laugh in the face of his former prisoner. "She was too good for you, no matter what…you were once a mighty warrior. Feared and respected at the same time and now, well, let's face it. You are a shell of what you once were and you could have been great again. But now you are left with sloppy seconds. An abomination…a-" Jameson's rant ended as his head became torn from his body as well as his arms, the rest of him exploding in a mess before splattering at the feet of the riled up Viking, who seemed to be focused solely on that which he had just done, that bloodlust still very much in his eyes, a almost haunted took to them as Sookie, who had hurried across the room to give him space, looked at him, eyes wide at the carnage all over the floor. Yes, the two villains were eliminated but certainly their actions would not be something so soon forgotten. There was a long silence in which neither of them moved from the spots they stood in. fear was something she had learned to control and had been able to control most of the time. But this situation was different, that very thing keeping her from rushing up to him and breaking down. But she knew he wouldn't hurt her, that she could not have been hurt any more than what she had just gone through. Slowly, gingerly, she walked around the piles that were once Jameson and Greta and finally made it within a few feet of him. He was staring at the mess on the ground, looking tense, ready for another person to kill, there was that manic look in his eyes. Slowly, she approached closer and held out a hand, one that was trembling as she couldn't help but note the band on his finger, the once she hadn't given him. Without a word or a look to her, she watched him slip the ring from his finger and crush it into a shapeless blob, tossing it hard across the room. So hard that it took out a small chunk of the wall. It was then he finally decided to take her hand and they left the room, headed off to gather Pam and get the hell out of yet another hellhole, another nightmarish scenario.

 **Epilogue**

It had been a week since the events in Alaska and though life had returned to what passed for normal for them, it was clear that things had certainly affected the couple. She found him spending more time in their sprawling backyard, sometimes overhearing him speaking in his native language to those he had lost, as if he were praying. And it was those moments that broke her heart, knowing that their lives were as precious as they were dangerous. They had to take the bad along with the good but it seemed that it was more bad than good lately. And yet, they remained battered and bruised and not broken. She had something for him, something she and Pam had bought together the previous day and she wanted nothing more than to give him the gift she had brought home. Knocking on the door of his office-he had decided to work from home time to time to work on the bills and other things from the bar he could get taken care of-Sookie entered, peering through the crack of the opening door as she did so, a parcel in hand.

"Hey." she said, facing him as he pored through some papers on the expensive oak desk. It was designed more or less the same way as his office at Fangtasia, what with weapons and books on display everywhere. "Are you busy?"

He looked up and though looking rather stoic, there was that light in his eyes that always greeted her. "Never too busy for you…..what is it?"

"Pam is looking forward to having you back tomorrow night. I know you needed time away from there…you wanted to work from home for a little while….but anyway….I brought you something." and opening the bag, she revealed a small box and within it rested a intricately braided platinum and copper band. "Made from the wedding bands of my parents and with a little bit of extra from me…some ancient blood magic that I learned how to use to not only make something stronger, but to prove my love….my parents….I loved them but knowing that they tried to drown me because I was different…I didn't want to look at them anymore. I couldn't."

"You…you never told me that….I suppose there is a lot neither of us knew….like I was promised to Greta, the arrangement being made by my own maker…even though that was long before he regained his humanity and compassion, it is still troubling that he was the one responsible setting me up with Greta, even after my human father tried to….." Eric said as he took in the information he had been told. "I am sorry I never got to meet your parents. Knowing what I know now. That they would have taken such steps to "help" you….."

"I don't think about them much anymore. Knowing they would have rather had me dead than being what I was….I have been hurt a bunch of times but that was the worst when I discovered the truth. And as for what you just went through….that was not the Godric you came to know. The one I met. That was a past mistake. Granted, one that led to some pretty dire trouble…..but its over now." she took the ring and rounded the desk and took his hand into hers and placed the band where the old one once was, where the one forced upon him was. "There! I think that is better. I tell ya, I hated seeing that finger bare…hated it more seeing her ring on you."

Pulling her fast and sitting her safely and snugly on his lap, his smile returned and he looked at the ring he had received. "I gladly would have done whatever it took to keep you safe…to keep everyone safe….."

"but then we wouldn't be able to go on. There is no way I or any of us could go on without you in our lives. There was a time I took you for granted and almost lost you forever. Never. Again." she hugged him tightly and neither spoke for some time. But then she pulled back and gave him a wicked grin. "Besides it would take a lot more than some psychotic ex to get you out of what Pam and I were planning before things went to hell. Again." she scooted up as his interest was piqued.

"And what, may I ask have you two planned?" he asked, getting up to give chase and as he used his own speed to beat her to the door, she laughed before flashing away in a bright light, her laughter echoing from down in their basement quarters. How he would get her to spill the beans, he didn't know but he had a idea for something as equally enjoyable, just involving less clothing.

 _ **THE END**_


End file.
